Massage apparatus.



L. W. G. FL'YNT.

MASSAGE APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3,1914.

1,1 'Y5,5 1 3. Patented Mar. 14,1916.

LOUIS w. armmr, or cnrcaeo, ILLINOIS.

MASSAGE APPATUS.

inmate.

To all whom'zt may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS W. G. FLYNT,

a subject of the King of Great Britain, re-

' paratus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to a massage apparatus and a massage tool employed in connection therewith.

The primary object of my invention is to devise a tool which will mechanically simulatethe rubbing or kneading action of a hand massage for the purpose 'of reducing flesh and accomplishing other remedial effects that a well executed manual massage is designed to accomplish.

- In addition to the benefits'obtained by the use of my improved massage tool, I have devised an apparatus for, manually effecting vertical reciprocation of the tool whereby the user is not only benefited by the action of the tool itself, but by the exercise in conne iiiion with the operation of the tool as we Mechanical massage heretofore has been impracticable for the reason that where a tool has been used, it was almost impossible for the user to apply the tool to all parts of the body. This I accomplish mechanically.

by constructing a tool adapted to surround the body of the user and which-is expansible, whereby the tool will conform to the contour of the body of the user in its reciprocating movement. 1

' The broad objects of the invention having now been set forth, I will proceed to describe the mechanism in detail, shown in the ac-' companying drawings in which-.

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of my improved apparatus, Fig. 2 is a top plan view of my improved massage tool. .Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view, in section, of the detachable coupling. (Fig. 5 is a vertical section of Fig. 4 designed to show the'key hole-in the left hand member. Fig.6 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the meeting ends of adjacent tools and designed to show the pivotal connection between a tool and its holder. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of Fig. 6, designed to show one part of a tool holder.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the tool in its entirety comprises Specification of Letters Patent.

secured to caps 12.

threaded on their outer surfaces whereby the a pluralityv of longitudinally expansible units, 8, 9, 16 and 11, each of which is capable of rotating on its own axis. The tool units herein shown'consist of wire sections in helical form and the ends of which are These capsmay be ends of the helical units may be screwed upon them andisoldered thereto if desired. Between adjacent ends of each pair of units a tool holder or plate 13 is interposed, to which the adjacent-caps 12 are pivotallysecured by rivets 14; if desired, bosses 15 may be formed integral with the ends of the a key hole slot 19 whereby the head of the stud 18 may beinserted within the enlarged opening in the key hole slot and the shank of the stud drops into the neck of the slot, thereby preventing separation of the caps Patented Mean, acre.

Application filed June a, 1914. Serial 1%. 842,556.

16 and 17, but permitting rotation ofone a relative to the other.

The apparatus, upon which my improved tool is mounted, comprises a base board 20, two vertical standards 21 and 22 and a top board 23, thereby providing a rectangular frame. Secured to the frame near the lower ends ofthe standards 21 and 22' are the pulleys 24 and 25; and the pulleys 26 and 27 are secured to the top board 23 adjacent the "upper ends of the standards.

In the construction shown, four tool hold- I ers or plates 13 are used constituting the tool holders: for the four tool units 8, 9, 10 and 11. Each plate 13 is provided with openings 28 and 29' at its upper and lower end respectively. Springs 30 and 31 are secured at their upper, ends to the top board 23, in any suitable manner, such as by means of the hooks32 which engage either a hook or eye in the upper end of the spring. The lower ends of the springs 30 and 31 are provided with hooks 33 and 34 respectively.

Suitable cables 35 and 36 are secured to the plates 13 by passing .the cables through the openings 28 and hooks 33 and 34 engage the cables 35 and 36 whereby the tool is suspended in a horizontal position. Operating cables'37 and 38 pass through the pulleys 24 and 26, and 25' and 27 respectively. To the upper end of the cable 37 the handle 39 is secured, and the handle 40 is secured to the upper end of the cable 38l The other ends of the cables 37 and 38 are secured to the plates 13. The lower ends of the cables may be divided into two strands whereby the two strands from one cable will engage two of the plates 13 and two strands from the other cable will engage the remaining plates 13.

Having now described in detail the various parts of my invention, I will proceed to explain its operation.

The tool member shown in Fig. 2 may be made as large or as small as desired, according to the number of tool units that are coupled together. Where the body is to be massaged enough units are coupled together to surround the body of the user at its smallest circumference, for instance, at the waist. The tool may be opened by disconnecting the caps 16 and 17 so that it may be conveniently fixed in position around the body of the user whereupon the caps 16 and 17 are connected and the. user thereupon grasps the handles 39 and 40. By moving the arms downwardly, the tool is pulled down along the body of the user, against the actions of the springs 30 and 31, until it reaches approximately the knees of the user, as shown in the diagrammatic position in Fig. 1.

In passing over the body of the operator, the tool expands or contracts, thereby automatically conforming to the exterior surface of the body, and as each unit comprising the tool is independently rotatable, and furthermore is capable of rotating on its own axis, the action of the tool simulates the rubbing or kneading action of a hand massage by the distorting and twisting action of the individual tool units in their rotating movement over uneven surfaces. The tool therefore accomplishes the remedial advantages of a hand massage while the muscular-exertion of the operator in vertically reciprocating the tool against the action of the springs 30 and 31, produces the beneficial results inherent in any exercise.

It is of course obvious that the apparatus herein shown. and described may be modified in many respects without departing from the broad spirit of the invention and Therefore without confining myself to the particular details of construction, I claim:

1. A massage tool comprising, in combination, a plurality of longitudinally expansible members, a plurality of tool holders,

means for pivotally connecting the ends of adapted to occupy a horizontal'plane relative to the body and having a series of revoluble massage devices in said plane, in combination with means for reciprocating said tool in a vertical plane.-

5. A massage apparatus comprising a tool formed to be disposed around the body and having a series of revoluble massage devices adapted to engage the body and rotate when the tool is moved lengthwise of the. body.

6. A massage apparatus comprising a tool having suitable supporting means and a pluralitv of massage devices adapted to be disposed about the body in approximately the same horizontal region, and means for moving the tool lengthwise of the body 7. A massage apparatus comprising a tool having suitable supporting means and a plurahty. of yieldable massage devices adapt ed to be disposed about the body in approxii mately the same horizontal region, and to press against said body, and means for moving the tool lengthwise of the body.

8. A massage apparatus comprising an annular massage tool consisting of a pluralityof independently rotatable and longitudinally expansible massage units and means for reciprocating said tool.

LOUIS W. G. FLYNT.

' Witnesses:

SADIE M. RYAN, AVIS S. HERRIMAN. 

